Create custom parameters for advanced tracking

Custom parameters are an advanced type of URL parameter that you can add to your ad’s landing page URLs. Unlike ValueTrack parameters, you can choose what values your custom parameters record once someone clicks on your ad.

This article explains the steps that you’ll need to take to set up custom parameters at different levels of your account.

Before you begin

If you’re not familiar with tracking in Google Ads or ValueTrack parameters, consider reviewing About tracking in Google Ads and Using ValueTrack parameters in your tracking template before getting started.

Instructions for setting up custom parameters

Step 1: Select a level

You can create up to eight custom parameters at any level of your account except for the account level. If your custom parameters use the same name, Google Ads will use the most specific custom parameter that you create. This means that if you create a custom parameter for an ad group (e.g. {_color}=red) and a custom parameter for one of the ads within that ad group (e.g. {_color}=blue), Google Ads will use the ad-level custom parameter ({_color}=blue).

Step 2: Define your custom parameters

Custom parameters consist of two parts:

• Name: Up to 16 alphanumeric characters
• Value: Up to 250 characters; can contain any characters (including | ; _ / ^ ( !), as well as ValueTrack parameters

Both the name and the value can be anything that you want. For example, if you have special IDs for each of your keywords, you can create a custom parameter that looks like this: {_mykwid}=1234.

Step 3: Add your custom parameter in the 'Custom parameter' field

Note: The instructions below are part of the new design for the Google Ads user experience. To use the previous design, click the 'Appearance' icon and select Use previous design. If you're using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page you’re searching for.

Create or edit custom parameters at the campaign level

 

Note: If you prefer to use the navigation panel on the left, click Change view in the top left of your Google Ads account.

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. From the Page menu on the left, click Settings.
3. Click the campaign that you want to edit.
4. Under 'Additional settings', select Campaign URL options.
5. Next to 'Custom parameter', enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
6. Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-6 above, make your changes, then click Save.

Create or edit custom parameters in bulk at the ad level

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click Ads & assets.
3. Tick the boxes next to all of the ads that you want to add custom parameters to.
4. Click Edit in the blue bar above the table, then select Change custom parameters from the drop-down menu.
5. Next to 'Add parameters', enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
6. Click Add.
7. Click Apply.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-5 above. Make your changes, and click Apply.

Edit custom parameters at the ad level

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click Ads & assets.
3. Hover over the ad that you’d like to edit and click the pencil icon .
4. Click the arrow in the top right-hand corner to expand the edit panel.
5. Under the 'Ad URL options' section, enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
6. Click Save new ad. Saving sends this new ad for review, and removes your old ad.

Create or edit custom parameters at the ad group or keyword level

First, add the 'Custom parameters' column to your ad group or keyword table:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click Keywords or Ad groups.
3. Click the columns icon , and select Modify columns.
4. Click Attributes. 
5. Select Custom parameter. 
6. Click Apply.

Now, add your custom parameter:

1. Hover over any entry in the 'Custom parameter' column and click the pencil icon when it appears.
2. Enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
3. Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1–2 in the second section, make your changes and click Save.

Create or edit custom parameters at the sitelink level

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Click Ads & assets in the page menu, then click Assets at the top of the page.
3. Click the plus button , and choose Sitelink assets.
4. From the 'Add to' drop-down menu, choose the level that you’d like to add the sitelink to.
5. To use an existing sitelink, click Use existing and select the sitelinks that you’d like to add.
6. To create a new sitelink, click Create new.
7. Fill in the sitelink text, and URL.
8. Enter additional text about your link in the Description fields (optional, but highly recommended).When you fill in both lines of description, your sitelink may be eligible to show with these details.
9. Under 'Sitelink URL options' add your custom parameters.
10. Select whether you'd like to use a different URL for mobile.
11. Click Save.

To edit your custom parameters, follow steps 1-2 above. Then:

1. Click on the 'Asset type' in the blue bar above the table. Choose Sitelink asset from the drop-down menu, then click Apply.
2. Hover over specific sitelink that you want to edit, and click the pencil icon when it appears.
3. Click the arrow in the top right-hand corner to expand the edit panel.
4. Under 'Sitelink URL options', enter the name and value of your custom parameters.
   1. Bear in mind that any changes that you make will also be applied to any ad group, campaign or account that shares this sitelink.
5. After you've finished editing, click Save.

Step 4: Add your custom parameter to the 'Tracking template' field

Lastly, put your custom parameter’s name in the tracking template, along with the necessary ValueTrack parameters (for example {lpurl}?color={_color}). Once your ad is clicked, Google Ads will replace the name with the value you defined in your custom parameter.

Note: Changes to tracking templates take 24–48 hours to be reflected in your ads serving after updates are made.

Related links

• Test your landing page
• About tracking in Google Ads